Characteristics of orbital multiple myeloma: a case report and literature review.

Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell malignancy that destroys skeletal, renal, and neurological function. Orbital involvement is rare, but has been considered an initial presentation for the malignancy. Furthermore, an association between the subtype of multiple myeloma and the likelihood of orbital infiltration has been suggested.

Noninvasive dynamic magnetic resonance angiography with Time-Resolved Imaging of Contrast KineticS (TRICKS) in the evaluation of orbital vascular lesions.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical utility of time-resolved contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in the evaluation of vascular orbital tumors.

Methods: Retrospective medical record review of patients with vascular orbital lesions imaged with Time-Resolved Imaging of Contrast KineticS (TRICKS; GE Healthcare [Chalfont St Giles, England]) MRA, a noninvasive dynamic imaging modality.

Results: Five patients with orbital vascular tumors were evaluated using TRICKS MRA.

A young man who could not walk.

Infections affecting the central nervous system caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis are rare but curable. We describe a case of a 24-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with progressive bilateral lower extremity weakness over 1 month. On the day of admission, he had minimal muscle strength and was hyperreflexic in the lower extremities.

Sensitization and translocation of TRPV1 by insulin and IGF-I.

Insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) maintain vital neuronal functions. Absolute or functional deficiencies of insulin or IGF-I may contribute to neuronal and vascular complications associated with diabetes. Vanilloid receptor 1 (also called TRPV1) is an ion channel that mediates inflammatory thermal nociception and is present on sensory neurons.

Direct interaction of adenosine with the TRPV1 channel protein.

Vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1), a nonspecific cation channel expressed primarily in small sensory neurons, mediates inflammatory thermal pain sensation. The function and expression of TRPV1 are enhanced during inflammation and certain neuropathies, leading to sustained hyperalgesia. Activation of TRPV1 in the spinal cord and periphery promotes release of adenosine, which produces analgesia by activating A(1) and A(2A) adenosine receptor (AR) on central and peripheral neurons.

Enhancement of potency and efficacy of NADA by PKC-mediated phosphorylation of vanilloid receptor.

The search for an endogenous ligand for the vanilloid receptor (VR or TRPV1) has led to the identification of N-arachidonyl dopamine (NADA). This study investigates the role of protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated phosphorylation on NADA-induced membrane currents in Xenopus oocytes heterologously expressing TRPV1 and in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. In basal state, current induced by 10 microM NADA is 5-10% of the current induced by 1 microM capsaicin or protons at pH 5.